Internal-combustion engine.



C. T. WESTLAKE. INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED Aue..15.|911.

\Patentd. Jan, 14

2 sums-sum. 1.

c. T. WESTLAKE.

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE.-

. APPLICATION HLED AUG-K5 1917- v I 1,291,316. Patented Jan. 14,1919;

omen

CHARLES T. WESTLAKE, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

" rurpnnugconnusnon ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Jan. 14, 1919.

i. y Appiication flkd-August15,1917. ,s eriaix'oiieam.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, CHARLES T. WEST- LAKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in InternaLCombustio'n Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri tion, such as will enable others'skilled in t e art to which"itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification. f

Myinventi on relates to internal combustion engines, particularly of the valveless type, that is,,-those engines which are devoidof the usual puppet valves which control the admission of the combustible vapor to the firing chamber and the subsequent exhaust of the. products of combustion, my present invention being an improvement on the internal combustion engines isclos'edin my copending patent applications filed July 30, 1915 and July 5, 1916, and bearing Serial NumbersAQfl 15 and 107 ,537 respectively.

"The principal objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon and simplify the existing types of internal com-' bustion engines, particularly-the forms of engines disclosed in the applications inst mentioned; to eliminate the puppet, va ves usually associated with internal combustion engines; to materially reduce the number of working parts of an internal combustion en gine and reduce to a minimum the friction developed during the operation of said parts; to provide an engine with a rotating member, a portion of which closes one end of the combustion chamber in the engine cylinder and servcsas a head therefor, said rotating member also performing the functions of a valve to control the inlet of combustible vapor to .the combustion chamber and the exhaust of burnt gases therefrom; to combine ,with the rotating member a sleeve which is normally in expansive contact with the inner surface of the wall surrounding the combustion chamber, thereby tending to I minimize the leakage of combustible givapoi' while under compression and when finlng';

and further, to provide simple and effective meanstor delivering liquid lubricant onto the inner surfaceotthe cylinder wall of the engine and the outcrsuriacc of the rotating member.

With the foregoing and other ObjCCtS in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a (vertical section taken through the center of an internal combustion en ne of my improved construction;

igi '2 1s a horizontal section taken ap-' proximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig.8 is a graphic illustration of the. degrees of movement of the rotating member which controls the inlet of combustible vapor to the firin chamber'of-the engine and.

the exhaust of urnt gases" therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a diagrannnatic'sectional view and showing the position of the valve member during ts period of vacuum producing movement;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positions of'the piston and crank shaft while the valve member is in the position illustrated in Fig. 4;.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic sectional view showing the va-lye member in osition at the completion of the intake stro e of the piston;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view illustratin the )ositions of the piston and crank sha at t e completibn of the intake stroke;

Fi 6 is a diagrammatic sectional view the beginning of the exhaust stroke of the piston;

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the positions of the piston'and crank shaft at the end of the power stroke, with dotted lines illustrating the movement of the crank shaft during the exhaust stroke.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a practical embodiment of my invention, 10 designates the engine cylinder which is preferably cast in a single piece and the Wall of said cylin der being provided with a chamber 11' through which circulates a cooling fluid.

nected'in the usual manner-to the'cranls shaft 14 is one end of a piston rod 15, the

other end being connected to a piston 16 of ports 17 and 18 and with the pocket 19.

the usual type.

Formed throughthe upper portion of the wall of the cylinder 10 are inlet and exhaust ports 17 and 18 respectively, said Ports being suitably spaced apart, it being understood that suitable tubular connections are made to these ports for the purpose of delivering combustible vapor to the inlet port and forv conveying-the products of combustion from the exhaust port.

Formed in theinner face of the wall of cylinder 10 at a point between the. ports 1'? and18 is a pocket 19 and seated in the Wall of the cylinder .with its inner end; 10- 'cate'd in said pocket is a'spark plug 20.

Formed through the wall of the cylinder immediately to one side of the inlet port 17 is a comparatively small port or aperture 2-1 I to which is connected a liquid lubricant supply pipe 22. The inner end of, port 17 communicates with a vertically disposed groove 21, thesame serving as a lubricant chamber. The internal diameter of the up-v per portion of the chamber within the engine cylinderis slightly larger than the internal diameter of the lower portion of said CllilIIlher or that portion in which the piston 16 operates. Mounted for rotary movement in this enlarged upper end of cylinder 10 is a substantially cylindrical valve member 23, the same being provided at a point intermediate its ends with an integrally formed web or plate 24, which latter performs the functions of ahead for the combustion chamber within the cylinder. This member 23 is held in operative position in theupper end of the cylinder 10 by a bracket 25 which latteris formed integral with or fixed to a frame 26, the same being fixed in any suitable manner to the upper end of oylin- If desired, 27 can be arrangedbetwecn the bracket 25 ,and the top of the plate or web 24.

Formed integral with or fixed to the outer end of member 23 is an annular row of miter gear teeth 28 with which mesh the teeth of a miter or beveled gear 29, the latter,

. beingfixed to a shaft 30. This shaft is journaled, in suitable bearings 31, the same being preferably formed integral with frame-26, A

and this shaft is driven directly from the crank shaft 14. in. any suitable mannor prefe erably by means of a sprocketchain 32 and sprocket wheels 33;and .34. The. wheels of,

this driving:' mechanism arc of such sizes as that the shait 30 makes onecomplete revolu-v suitable anti-friction bearings tion to two of the crank shaft, and as'the beveled or miter gears 28 and 29 are equal 111 size, it necessarily follows that the valve Surrounding the lower portion of member 23 and positioned .in the enlarged up er portion of the chamber within cylin or 10 is a split sleeve 36 of comparatively thin resilient material, the ends of which terminate adjacent to the sides of port 35, said ends bearing against shoulders formed in member 23 so that as said member rotates, said sleeve will be rotated therewith. Normally, this sleeve is larger in diameter than the internal diameter of the enlarged upper portion of the combustion chamber within the engine cylinder so that when it is contracted, and placed in said combustion chamber with member 23, its

tendency is to expand so that it is nor-- mally inexpansive contact with a portion of the inner face of the wall surrounding the enlarged upper portion of the combustion chamber. The external diameter of the lower portion f valve member' 24 is the same as the internal diameter of the lower portion of the chamber within the cylinder or that chamber in which the piston 16 operates and the split sleeve positioned on the lower portion of said valve member just fill the space between the lower portion of said valve member' and the ad acent inner face of the wall around the enlarged up or portion of the chamber. This particu ar construction is eflective materially reducing thelleakage of gas from the combustion chamber, particularly during compression of the gas, and

likewise (hiring the ignition thereof.

To effectively prevent the leakage of any gas upwardly between member 23 and the upper portion of the cylinder, aplurality of packing rings 23 are seated in suitable grooves formed in "the periphery of said member 23 above the sleeve 36.

The width of the leeve 36 is considerably greater than the widthof the ports 17, 18.

and. 19; consequently, as member 23 and the sleeve rotate, the latter will in succession entirely cover said ports and completelyisolate the same from the combustion chamber.

A portion of the wall of member 23 di rectly opposite the port 35 is removed inorder to balance said member, but, as illustratedin Fig. 2, the space formed by the removal of this portion of the wall is closed by the central portion of sleeve 36.

While I have shown but a single cylinder,

it will be understood that my inventlon contemplates av multi-cylinder engine, and

25 I duced, valve member 23 moves so as to brin mean of beveled where such construction is carried out, it is During. the operation of the engine, the

piston 16 reciprocates in the usual manner within the combustion chamber in the cylinder and the rotary motion of crank shaft 14: is'transmitted to shaft 30, and thence by inion 29 to valve member 23, the operating parts being of such sizes and so t1med as that said valve member makes one complete revolution with every two complete revolutions of the crank shaft.

After an exhaust stroke and when the piston reaches its highest point of travel in the cylinder, port is at a point between the'exhaust and inlet 18 and 17, as illustrated in Fig. 4, and the valve member 23 rotates for approximately three-quarters of a degree between said exhaust and inlet ports, thereby producing a certain de: gree 0' vacuum in the chamber between the piston and theplate or disk 24. Im1nedi ately after this partial'vacuum has been proport 35 into register with inlet port 17 an as the piston moves downward, combustible vapor is drawn into the combustion chamber through port 18 and thesupply pipe connected thereto. suction stroke, the valve member 23 moves for a distance of approximately one hundred nine and one-quarter degrees duringwhich time the crank shaft moves approximately two hundred eighteen and one-half degrees.

(See Figs. 3 and5).

At the completion of the suction or intake stroke, the valve member 23 occupies the position'as illustrated in Fig. 5, and the piston starts upward on its compression stroke during which movement the crank shaft; moves approximately one hundred forty egrees, and valve member 23 moves approximately seventy degrees. (See Figs. 3 ermit). a

At ;the completion of the compression stroke. port 35 is -in registe r with pocket 19, as illustrated in Fig. 6, and at the point of highest compression or an instant thereafter, the timing apparatus associated with the engine produces a spark at the'inner end of plug 20, thereby firing the compressed charge with the result that thepiston is forced downward on its power stroke during whichrtime valve member 23 rotates approximately sixty-seven and one-half de v grees, while crank shaft rotates approximately one hundred thirty-five degrees. (See Figs. 3 and 6*).' I a At the completion of the power stroke of thepiston, valve member' 23 occupies the position illustrated inFig. 7, and as the movement of the operating parts continues, port 35 is brought into register with the During this intake orexhaust port 18, thereby permitting the pis ton on its succeeding upward stroke to force the burnt gases out'through said exhaust port and the pipe connected thereto, during which time valve members 23 moves approximately one hundred 'twelve and one-half degrees, while crank shaft moves approxi-- mately two hundred twenty-five degrees.- (See Figs. 3 and 7?).

By virture of the fact thatsleeve 36 is 7&- split and constructed in such a manner and ofsuch materialas to normally expand, it will be seen that, said sleeve is at all times in expansive contact with that portion of the inner face of the wall of the combustion chamber in which the inlet and exhaust ports and the firing poeket are formed, and asa result,'a comparatively tight joint is maintained between said sleeve and combustion chamber wall, consequently reducing to a minimum the leakage of gas during high compression and combustion.

One of the principal features of. my inv vention is the means and arrangement for-- supplying liquid lubricant to the outer sur- 9 face of valve member 23 and the inner surface of the wall cylinder with which said member contacts. i

It will be noted that the liquid lubricant supply pipe enters the cylinder at a point immediately to 'one side of the-inlet port 17, thus supplying lubricant to chamber 21, the latter being silbstantially as long as the valve member, and as the latter rotates in a direction from said inlet port 1 toward the lubricant supplypipe, the liquid. lubricant will be delivered directly onto the surface of valve member 23, after it .has passed the inlet' port, and said liquid lubricant willbe carried around the inner surface of the-cylinder for a considerable por- 7 tion of a complete rotation of the valve member before the exhaust port is reached;

As a result, the contacting faces of'the valve member 23 and the wall surrounding the same are very effectively lubricated.

It will be noted-that the rotary valve member 23 is formed in a single piece, and further that it is held to rotate in afixed zone within the upper end of the cylinder by the bracket 25 and bearings 27, andby virture of this construction, friction and wear between the rotary valve member and the cylinder is reduced to a minimum, and further, the work incident to the insertion or removal of the valve member is greatly facilitated.

1 An internal combustion engine of my im' proved construction can be readily a's-' sembled or taken apart, is devoid of all l2 5 of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

1. In an internal combustion engine, a cylinder open at both ends, the internal diameter of the upper portion of the chamber within said cylinder being larger than the lower portion of said chamber, a piston adapted to reciprocate in that portion of the chamber having the smaller internal diameter, and a valve member arranged for rotary movement in that portion ofthe cylinder chamber having the larger internal diameter, the said piston and valve member forming the closure means for the ends of the cylinder chamber.

2. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder provided adjacent to one endwith inlet and exhaust ports, of a valve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder that is provided with said ports, an expansive sleeve carried by said valve member for controlling the opening and closing of said ports, said valve,

member being provided with a wall intermediate its ends, which wall forms a head for the combustion chamber within the en-.

gine cylinder, means adaptedxto directly engage the outer portion of said intermediate wall for retaining the valve member in operative position within the cylinder, and means adapted to engage the outer portlon of said valve member for imparting rotary movement thereto.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with! a cylinder provided adjacent to one end with inlet and exhaust ports, of avalve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder provided with said ports, an expansive sleeve carried by said valve member and adapted to control the opening and closing of said ports, said valve member being provided with a wall intermediate its ends which forms a head for the combustion chamber within the engine cylinder, and the outer end of said valve .member being provided with an annular "row of integrally formed gear teeth.

4. loan internal combustion engine, the

combination with a cylinder provided adj acent to one end with inlet and exhaust ports,

of a valve member mounted for rotation .in the end of the cylinder provided with said;

an expansive sleeve carried by said ports,

valve member and adapted to control the opening and closing of said ports, said valve mediate its en s which forms a head for the combustion chamber within the engine cylinder, the outer end of said valve member being, provided withan annular row of integrally formed gear teeth, and a series of packing rings carried by said valve member betweenv the expansive sleeve and the row of gear teeth.

5. In an internal combustion; ngine the combination with a cylinder provided at one end with inlet and exhaust ports, of a valve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder having said ports, said valve member being provided. intermediate its ends with a wall which forms a head for the combustion chamber within the engine cyl- I inder, there being an opening formed in.

the wall=of the valve member be ow said head, which opening is adapted to commu-f nicate with the inlet and'exhaust ports, an expansive sleeve applied to said valve member and adapted to close the inlet and exhaust ports, the ends of which sleeve termi-.

nate adjacent to the sides of the opening in the valve member, and a piston mounted for operation in the other end of said cylinder. 6. In aninternal combustion engine, the

combination with a cylinder provided atone end with inlet and exhaust ports, of a valve member mounted fog rotation in the end of the cylinder having said ports, said valve member being provided intermediate its ends with a wall which forms the head for the combustion chamber within the engine.

the valve member, means bearing against the outer face of ,the head of the valve member for retaining the same in position withcylinder, ther e bein an opening formed in in the cylinder, and a piston mounted for operation in the other end of said cylinder. 7. In an internal combustion engine, the combinationwith a cylinder provided at one end with inlet and exhaust ports, of a valve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder having saidv ports, said valve member being provided intermediate its ends with a wall which forms the head for the combustion chamber within the engine 1 cylinder, there being an opening formed in the wall of the valve member-below said head, which opening is adapted to communicate with the inlet and exhaust ports, an

expansive sleeve applied to said valve mem-. ber and adapted to close the inlet and exhaust ports, the ends of which sleeve terminateadjacent to the sides of the opening in the valve 111e111ber, an annular row of gear teeth 011 the outer end o't' said valve member, and a piston mounted for operatiim in the other end of said cylinder.

8. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports, of a one-piece valve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder provided with said ports, said valve member comprising a cylindrical body portion, a transverse wall which serves as a head for the combustion chamber within the engine cylinder, the outer end of the cylindrical body portion terminating in a series of gear teeth, an expansible sleeve carried by the inner end of the valve member for controlling the opening and closingof the inlet and exhaust ports. and a series of packingdings carried by said valve member and arranged between said expansive sleeve and the gear teeth.

9. In an internal combustion engine, the

combination with a cylinder provided with inlet and exhaust ports, of a one-piece valve member mounted for rotation in the end of the cylinder provided with said ports, said valve member com prising a cylindrical body portion, a transverse wall which serves as'a head for the Combustion chamber within the engine cylinder. the outer end of the eylindrical body portion terminating in a series of gear teeth, an expansible sleeve carried by the inner end of the valve member for controlling the opening and closing of the inlet and e\l1aust ports. a series of packing rings carried by said valve member and arranged between said expansive member and the gear teeth. and means for retaining said valve member in operative position in the end of the eylinder.

In testinmny whereo'l' hereunto atlix my signature this 10th day of August, 1917. 

